Solar insolation can be very productive in the heating of fluids circulating through ducted panels. Although the process of insolation is quite simple, the implementation thereof becomes quite expensive in the fabrication of efficient panels therefor. For example, high conductors are ordinarily used and confined within an enclosure for the "hot house" effect, said panels must be rather expansive and therefore tend to be flimsy, and insulation must be employed to confine the collection of heat; all of which leads to considerable expense when constructing such an installation. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide modular solar panels that are adapted to be assembled together in a cooperative combination whereby each panel can be lightly constructed and yet durable for handling prior to installation. Another object is to provide such panels that are complete and self sufficient to absorb the sun's radiant energy.
The installation of solar heat collectors has required field labor for the involved piping therefor, and which accounts for as much as half the cost; and to this end this invention modularizes solar panels which are complementary to each other without intermediate piping. In carrying out this invention, the panels mate one with the other with the use of interconnecting nipples that are selectively employed in place of knockouts that are removed and replaced with said nipples to establish series or parallel flow through the panels, all as circumstances require.
Heretofore, sun-tracking has been accomplished at considerable expense, involving moving parts and critical disposition of solar collector elements in the form of fluid conduction tubes. Such isolation devices can be concentrators of heat, or they can be simple flat panel collectors that rely upon a nominally acceptable alignment with the sun's traverse across the sky. For example, an austere solar panel construction involves a dark surfaced wall facing the sun and behind which a fluid media is in contact for heat absorption, and additionally a superimposed glazing that establishes a "hot house" enclosure to prevent the escape of collected heat. It is an object herein to eliminate the glazing and structure necessary to superimpose the same, and to combine the light energy penetration through the fluid conduction walls per se. In carrying out this invention, transparent highly reflective fluid conductors of low heat conductivity are employed, serving the dual purpose of maximizing heat energy penetration and confinement of heat to the fluid media conducted thereby. Further, it is an object to simultaneously track and to concentrate the sun's rays onto the fluid media, and to these ends the said fluid conductors are prismatic lenses arranged normal to the transverse plane of the sun's movement across the sky.
The installation of solar panels is conspicuous and heretofore a duplication of surfacing when applied over the roof of a building. And, a most advantages installation for a solar panel is on a roof surface facing and normal to the traverse plane of the sun. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide solar insolation panels that are adapted to the building structure without duplicating the roofing, not superimposed thereon but built onto the roof as the surfacing in place of the conventional roofing. In other words, this assembly of modular solar panels is installed directly onto the rafter and sheathing structure of the building, confined within the surrounding roofing; said solar panels being installed upon a roof plane which is substantially normal to the traverse plane of the sun. A feature of these modular panels is the insulated backing thereof which secures structurally to the rafters and/or sheathing, including flashing for integration with the surrounding roofing.
It will be observed that the present invention is concerned with direct insolation of sunlight through the transparent tracking lens of the fluid conductor, and accordingly it is an object to provide efficient insolation under these conditions. A feature is the use of black or dark liquid media employed for its high heat absorption properties, and the short focal length of the prismatic tracking lens that condenses sunlight into said dark liquid media, for most efficient heat absorption. Additionally, light is reflected internally of the fluid conductors for heat absorption therefrom and into the fluid media. It is to be understood that water or a glycol solution can be the dark fluid media for superior heat absorption properties.